First Day of Issue: 6th May 2010
Tartans of the Far North

4th Definitive Series

Third Issue

Tartans of the Far North - 3rd Issue

This is the third and final issue of the series of three depicting Tartans and Badges of Clans emanating from the northernmost parts of mainland Scotland. We are genuinely sorry if we have offended any inhabitants of the Far North should their families have been omitted from the series this time, but it is always possible that they could appear in a future issue. A venerable (95 years old) gentleman of the McGillivrays expressed his disappointment by signing his letter with the Clan Slogan “Dunmaglass” and the Clan War-cry “Loch Moidh”. We had to gently remind him that his ancestral lands were in Strathnairn, east of Inverness and so outwith the Far North!

In general the Gunns, Oliphants and Sinclairs all came from Caithness, historically a non-Gaelic speaking area. The Gunns are of Norwegian descent, the name “Gunni” meaning battle in Old Norse. The Oliphants, again of Norwgian stock, acquired a large part of Caithness and the castles of Old Wick and Berriedale through marriage into the Sutherland family. The Sinclair link with Caithness also originated in Norway but via the Norman Conquest and a subsequent marriage to the heiress of the Earl of Caithness. We continue to use the Coigach District Tartan for the new 30sg value.

Supporting Information
Date of issue	6 May 2010
Issuing Authority	Summer Isles Post Office
Research & Design	Summer Isles Philatelic Bureau in association with the Scottish Tartans' Authority and White Peak Design
Printer	Burns and Harris of Dundee
Process	Offset Lithography - 4 designs, 4 colours
Material	Self-adhesive, unwater-marked
Stamp Size	42.40 x 28.50mm
Separation	Pierced matrix, kisscut fauxperf
Sheet Size	Approx. 210 x 70mm (4x2) including margins
Sheet Format	2 x se-tenant strips of 4 values; controls in left margins. 30sg value also printed in sheets of 4 (2x2) for counter use in the Post Office.
Miniature Sheet Size	Approx. 98 x 70mm including margins
Miniature Sheet Format	4 values (2x2)
Cover Designer	Summer Isles Philatelic Bureau in association with the Scottish Tartans' Authority and White Peak Design
Cover Printer	Robert Parker Limited of Dundee

30sg Coigach District Tartan with Ben Mor Coigach
35sg Gunn Tartan and Clan Badge
60sg Sinclair Tartan and Clan Badge
1PS Oliphant tartan and Clan Badge

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